Ah, the lowly knit stitch. Usually, the first thing that a new knitter learns is the knit stitch. Then we make a garter stitch scarf or a hat in the round. Sometimes, experienced knitters forget how wonderful this most basic stitch in knitting can be.

The Oxford dictionary defines basic as:

an adjective: Forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental.

a noun:  The essential facts or principles of a subject or skill.

The ubiquitous knit stitch is indeed the foundation for everything in knitting. In a way, it even shows us how to purl, considering that the purl stitch is a mirror image of a knit stitch. We can cast on by knitting the stitches onto a needle.

We vary our stitches by manipulating the knit stitch. Everything starts with knit. (Well, actually, everything starts with “e”, but we are talking about knitting here.)

Notice that when we tell people what we are doing with two needle ends and some yarn, we refer to the activity as “knitting”, not “purling”. And it is certainly not weaving, crocheting, quilting or macrame, although some non-crafty people lump all of these things into one big category of “things I don’t know how to do, even though my grandma tried to show me once”.
There are a couple of ways to look at the knit stitch. If you are working a piece flat, back and forth, the fabric that is produced by the knit stitch is referred to as “garter”. This fabric is bumpy on both sides, and has furrows. Mind you, if you worked a flat piece back and forth in all purl, it would still produce garter fabric. (Remember, purl is mirror of knit, so if you only purl a flat piece, you will get the same result as if you only knit a flat piece.)

Another fabric that consists of only the knit stitch is anything that is joined into the round and worked in knit. In that case, you are only working on the outside of a cylinder of knitting, and piling knits on top of knits in the round produces stockinette stitch. The fabric is smooth on the outside and bumpy on the inside, and without the deep furrows of garter stitch. Think of a knit sock worked in the round. All knit stitch. All on the outside of the stocking. Voila, stockinette stitch.

The Poncho a la Mode is knit in the round in one piece. (Ok, it has some rib at the very beginning so the edge doesn’t curl.)

 

Even though this is the first stitch we learn, it can create variety of very sophisticated looking items. Some of the most beautiful blankets and shawls are made with only the knit stitch. The “Mrs. Watson” is one great example.

On huge needles, thick yarn for a garter stitch blanket looks like something straight out of a fancy catalog.
Thin yarn on tiny needles is extremely warm and can be the foundation of an amazing shawl.

 

 

And, believe it or not, the Newport Summer Shrug is only the knit stitch! There are yarn overs, but isn’t that just a manipulation of the knit? No purling in this one!

And when is a flat piece in all knit stitch not garter? You can manipulate what you are doing by starting a yarn at the other end of a circular knitting needle to create “purl” rows! Check this out! Sliding Garter Blanket. My newest pattern on Ravelry!

 

 

Coming up! In part 2 of this blog about the knit stitch, I will discuss picking up stitches around garter.

Until then, Knit Yourself Happy!